<p>^ My point exactly.</p>
<p>i never said one is easier than the other, the original poster was told that. as i've BEEN SAYING, things aren't right or fair in much of the college application process. i'm reporting events i've encountered.</p>
<p>^ I understand the distinction that you are making, and I apologize if you feel that I (or other posters in this thread) in any way mischaracterized what you were trying to say. My point is simply that I have not encountered the same undercurrent from guidance counselors, admissions officers, etc. that you describe about the ACT being in any way inferior to the SAT for admissions purposes, and I live on the east coast, which is certainly an SAT dominated region. My daughter had no problem being accepted to any college that she applied to (the majority of which were on the east coast) using the ACT only and I think that there are many kids in the same boat.</p>
<p>I have read all of the above postings regarding this subject. I am from the east side of the tracks and based on my experience, the East still places emphasis on the SATs. My former high school never discussed the ACTs. SAT prep courses and SAT testing were given at the high school, not ACT prep classes or testing. Our guidance counselors recommended that all students take the SAT and if they weren't satisfied with the scores, to try the ACTs. Most schools in the Midwest perfer the ACTs. All other schools prefer the SATs. Years ago choosing which test to take wasn't even as issue. Until recently, the ACT was traditonally required by colleges in the midwest and the SAT was the test of choice in the northeast and on the east and west coasts. The SAT tests critical thinking and problem solvings skills whereas the ACT is a content-based test. Although schools now accept both SAT and ACT test results, the SAT is the most widely taken college entrance examination. The bottom line is that high schools in the east still put a heavy emphasis on the SATs, not the ACTs.</p>
<p>The whole idea that the lower SAT than ACT scores will disadvantage you is more of a myth. The more scores, the better. They're not going to go "Hmmm...Johnie had a fluke on his high ACT. DENIED!"</p>
<p>Really, if you have SAT IIs, it may help to send both, despite the fact that they'll see your lower SAT I. I've talked to my guidance counselor and asked a few admissions reps and the answer I've received every time is "Send everything, and whatever makes your app looks the strongest will be used."</p>
<p>After dominating the east coast for years, the SAT is now no longer "the one" test for east coast schools. Whatever helps you will be used.</p>
<p>As far as which test is better, students that can think "around" the wording of the SAT questions tend to do better on the SAT. Those that can answer questions very quickly tend to do better on the ACT.</p>
<p>I visited 18 schools this summer with my daughter and at every information session the question of which test, SAT or ACT, is preferred. Every school stated flat out they have no preference. Additionally, my cousin who lives in New England (where the more common test is the SAT) was accepted and is attending Stanford (in CA, where the SAT is more common) on the strength of ONLY her ACT scores. She only submitted the ACT because her score was stronger than her SAT score and because the ACT sends only the highest score, so there was no indication of her previous, much lower, score.</p>
<p>
[quote]
All other schools prefer the SATs.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That is not current information. Less than one week ago, this question was asked at the Yale information session </p>
<p><a href="http://admissions.yale.edu/events/%5B/url%5D">http://admissions.yale.edu/events/</a> </p>
<p>in my town. The Yale admission officer at the meeting made very clear, by saying so explicitly, that Yale has no preference for one test over the other. The Harvard representative who was here in May said the same. You can visit as many information sessions </p>
<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=389153%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=389153</a> </p>
<p>as you like to get current information from a wide range of colleges that are vigorous enough in recruiting to host information sessions. I have yet to hear of ANY college in the past year that has expressed a preference for one brand of admission test over another. To the contrary, the clear trend in the last few years is that colleges (e.g., Harvey Mudd College and Princeton University) that formerly expressed a preference on their websites have now withdrawn such statements in favor of saying that there is no preference. Check the websites, check the information sessions, and please report back to this thread with current information. </p>
<p>Don't even get me started on how out of date many high school counselors are about college admission requirements. I'll be at my town's NACAC National College Fair event tomorrow, and I'll try to listen to the questions asked at a workshop on selective college admission. It's a good thing College Confidential is around for parents and students to share up to date information.</p>
<p>Here's my thinking, I'd love to hear any feedback. </p>
<p>I believe that the last SAT grading fiasco really hurt the credibility of ETS and caused more people on the coasts to take the ACT and the last holdout colleges had to respond. The ACT is very transparent in the grading and I believe gives you the option of reviewing your answers and the correct answers. I'm guessing it would be harder to hide a grading error from the student. ETS on the other hand is very secretive and charges you to have your exams regraded. Many people in 2006 didn't even apply to colleges which could have accepted them because they incorrectly thought their score was lower than it was. The truth wasn't revealed until March of the college season. This is shameful. </p>
<p>We're on the east coast. Our current thinking with our D is for her to prepare and take the ACT, which is all about mastering a set of material, maybe even educationally useful material, and if she's happy with her score she will not take the SAT at all. She would then apply with just the ACT and SATII's. She'll take the ACT sophomore year. </p>
<p>Because there is a whole industry to coach for the highly coachable SAT, it seems that that in order for a good student to be competitive, they must go through the coaching like everyone else to learn the tricks. This seems like a pretty big time sink which has limited educational value in and of itself but may be necessary for competitive purposes. Furthermore, this coaching typically happens in the crucial junior year when there are other difficult AP subjects that need to be mastered. Since the ACT is harder to coach for, it seems that a good student will do well just from mastering the underlying material. We're hoping that D can avoid the SAT Prep classes and just focus on her subjects junior year. We'll see how it works, but the key assumption is that the ACT is interchangeable with the SAT for all colleges. I always follow these threads to make sure it's true.</p>
<p>CRD,</p>
<p>I think that your post is well reasoned, but I would add two caveats. First, although I agree with you that there is less need for "coaching" on the ACT, don't underestimate the test. Although the ACT is more straightforward than the SAT, it tests some material at a higher level than the SAT (e.g., math), tests some material that the SAT doesn't test at all (e.g., science reasoning) and, most significantly, there is serious time pressure on the ACT. At a minimum, your D should practice by taking timed tests under conditions that simulate the real thing to get a better idea of how she will likely score. If your D isn't a "natural" at taking standardized tests, she may still benefit from a prep course. Second, recognize that many schools will accept the ACT in lieu of BOTH the SAT Is and the SAT IIs, so depending upon your daughter's choice of schools, it may not be necessary to have her take the SAT IIs if she takes the ACT.</p>
<p>She's been preparing for the ACT from a book and doing really well, so she knows what the test is all about. I didn't mean to leave the impression that I thought it was easier. I just meant that preparing for it involves learning material that one would probably want to learn anyway, whereas the SAT involves learning to spot tricks and to categorize specific types of questions, probably less generally relevant skills. </p>
<p>Also, since some schools do require SATII's even with ACT's, and since SATII's are best taken right after the appropriate course, it seems prudent for her to take these anyway. Since studying for these are synergistic with the course anyway, it doesn't seem like it would be enough extra work to be a distraction.</p>